Pro Bono Branding Project that's Worth a Toast

Our love for good whiskey leads to an intoxicating new logo design

OBATA donated a branding effort to the Saint Louis Whiskey Society.

Our pro bono logo design, the fleur de barley, consists of a barley top combined with a fleur de lis base. This intricate design was inspired by the barley top and fleur de lis base seen on the glass in the pour photograph above.

The fleur de lis is a traditional symbol of French royalty and is often used to represent purity, light, and life. The barley top symbolizes the brewing process, as barley is one of the most important ingredients in whiskey Together, these two elements create a unique and meaningful brand mark that is sure to stand out in the bourdon industry.

The barley top in the whiskey logo serves as a powerful visual representation of the brewing process. The barley top in the whiskey logo serves as a powerful visual representation of the brewing process.

We love good whiskey, and good whisky also

Barley is a key ingredient used in the production of whiskey, so the inclusion of the barley top helps to evoke the feeling of craftsmanship and quality that goes into making the whiskey.

Barley is one of the oldest and most widely cultivated grains globally, and it belongs to the grass family. Besides beer, it is also a key ingredient in distilled beverages like whisky. Scottish and Irish distillers use barley as their primary grain, while Canadians and Americans use corn, rye, and wheat.

By combining the barley top with other visual elements, such as a bold typeface and a memorable color palette, the brand mark stands out in the bourdon industry. The barley top helps to create a sense of tradition and authenticity that is sure to be appreciated by whiskey connoisseurs.

The bottle contains the River City Whiskey logo and was made especially for the club by Still 630 and purchased as a holiday gift for members by the club.  “Five Mouth” refers to the five members who manually siphoned the barrel into the bottles.

River City Whiskey Society

In 2011, Rich Murphy joined the River City Whiskey Society. A group that sources fine whiskeys for tastings mainly from Scotland, the U.S., Canada, and Japan.  The club has tasted four-hundred and twenty-five to date.  One of our members is Dave Weglars, the owner of Still 630 in Saint Louis, a small and humble distillery that releases big and bold expressions and wins big awards doing so.

Because the club was capped at sixty members, another club started in 2018. The Saint Louis Whiskey Society was inspired by the River City Whiskey Society and followed a similar format. This group is primarily made up of first responders.